ESSENTIAL ALBUMS: (#21): Leonard Cohen - "The songs of Leonard Cohen" (1968)

The art of the singer/songwriter changed forever when Canadian writer Leonard Cohen released his debut. A poet laureate of angst, 1968 saw Cohen put his verse atop minor chords and reinvent melancholy. The cover shows Leonard Cohen in his early thirties; a reflection of the minimalist esthetic of the music. The songs feature little more than Cohen's voice and guitar, forcing the focus on his wordplay and bittersweet delivery.

Tracks such as "Teachers" and "So Long, Marianne" paint such a poignant picture of heartbreak and loneliness that the listener feels the pain acutely, while "Suzanne" is packed with religious symbolism and sentiment (the success of Judy Collins' cover of the song had convinced Cohen to try his hand at performing).

Despite its sparse production, the album was a hit. In its second year it sold more than 100,000 copies, the greatest commercial success Cohen enjoyed until his renaissance in the late Eighties.

While subsequent albums were not as well received as this one, the legacy of Cohen's debut lived on. Gothic godfathers The Sisters Of Mercy named themselves after his song, while "Suzanne" was parodied by Randy Newman (on 12 Songs) and reworked by R.E.M. (as "Hope" on Up). Other artists, notably Jeff Buckley, have been influenced and inspired by Cohen, helping direct new generations of music lovers back to The Songs of Leonard Cohen.